Coconut, Cocos nucifera L., is a tree that is cultivated for its multiple utilities, mainly for its nutritional and medicinal values. The various products of coconut include tender coconut water, copra, coconut oil, raw kernel, coconut cake, coconut toddy, coconut shell and wood based products, coconut leaves, coir pith etc. Its all parts are used in someway or another in the daily life of the people in the traditional coconut growing areas. It is the unique source of various natural products for the development of medicines against various diseases and also for the development of industrial products. The parts of its fruit like coconut kernel and tender coconut water have numerous medicinal properties such as antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiparasitic, antidermatophytic, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective, immunostimulant. Coconut water and coconut kernel contain microminerals and nutrients, which are essential to human health, and hence coconut is used as food by the peoples in the globe, mainly in the tropical countries. The coconut palm is, therefore, eulogised as 'Kalpavriksha' (the all giving tree) in Indian classics, and thus the current review describes the facts and phenomena related to its use in health and disease prevention.
Erich M Schwarz, Jason B Noon, Jeffrey D Chicca
et al.
Hookworms are intestinal parasitic nematodes that chronically infect ~500 million people. How hookworms successfully overcome host protective mechanisms is unclear, but it may involve hookworm proteins that digest host tissues, or counteract the host's immune system, or both. To find such proteins in the zoonotic hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum, we used mass spectrometry to identify 565 genes encoding excreted-secreted (ES) proteins from adults, and used RNA-seq to identify genes expressed both in young adults (12 days post-infection) and in intestinal and non-intestinal tissues dissected from mature adults (19 days post-infection), infecting hamster hosts that either had normal immune systems or were immunosuppressed by dexamethasone. In adult A. ceylanicum, we observed 1,670 and 1,196 genes with intestine- and non-intestine-biased expression, respectively. Comparing hookworm gene activity in normal versus immunosuppressed hosts, we observed almost no changes of gene activity in 12-day young adults or non-intestinal 19-day adult tissues. However, in intestinal 19-day adult tissues, we observed 1,951 positively immunoregulated genes, and 137 genes that were negatively immunoregulated. Thus, immunoregulation was observed primarily in mature adult hookworm intestine directly exposed to host blood. Of positively immunoregulated intestinal genes, 50.1% (5.3-fold over background) also had male-biased expression, suggesting that male and female A. ceylanicum have different responses to the host immune system. We observed 153 ES genes showing positive immunoregulation in 19-day adult intestine, which disproportionately encoded CAP, ASPR, astacin, TIMP, TIL, ShK, and SCVP proteins, and that were enriched for ES gene orthologs in the dog hookworm Ancylostoma caninum, the human hookworm Necator americanus, or the related sheep parasite Haemonchus contortus. Such a mixture of rapidly evolving and conserved genes could comprise virulence factors enabling infection, provide new targets for vaccines against hookworm, and aid in developing therapies for immune-mediated diseases.
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine, Public aspects of medicine
Daniele Pereira Castro, Fernando Ariel Genta, Matthew E Rogers
<h4>Background</h4>Leishmaniasis presents a major public health problem for a large number of countries requiring effective integrated management of the vector, sand flies, for sustained control. Such strategies need to be economically and environmentally sustainable and adaptable to the behaviour of local vectors. One such tool is Attractive Targeted Sugar Baits (ATSB) that exploit the necessity of sand flies to acquire sugars between bloodmeals. Here we explored the kinetics and cues for sugar and blood feeding to improve the efficacy of ATSBs against sand flies.<h4>Methods</h4>A fluorescent assay was developed to quantify sugarmeals to assess the feeding efficiency of colony-reared female Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies.<h4>Results</h4>Sand flies showed a range of preferences for different sugars presented on cotton wool and could be manipulated to deposit them into the crop and/or midgut. We found that the combination of 10% sucrose and 10% fructose allowed flies to obtain the largest sugarmeals taken to the crop. Sugarmeals were taken to both the crop and midgut when it contained 200 mM bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a source of protein and 1 mM adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a phagostimulant. Using this combination, the efficacy of the ingested insecticide fipronil was significantly increased; reducing the 50% lethal concentration from 584 µM to 1.65 µM in a sugarmeal that promoted the simultaneous uptake of the insecticide into the midgut as well as the crop.<h4>Conclusions</h4>In this study we highlight the potential of understanding the cues used by vectors to sugar feed and blood feed. By incorporating blood feeding phagostimulants, such as BSA and ATP, in ATSB we vastly improve their killing efficiency against sand flies. This demonstrates a new approach to target these disease vectors.
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine, Public aspects of medicine
Carl Boodman, J. van Griensven, Nitin Gupta
et al.
1 Clinical Investigator Program, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada, 2 Unit of HIV and Neglected Tropical Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium, 3 Department of Infectious Diseases, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India, 4 Department of Internal Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, United States of America, 5 Médecins Sans Frontières, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
J. Salas-Coronas, M. P. Luzón-García, Beatriz Crego-Vicente
et al.
Migratory flows and international travel are triggering an increase in imported cases of schistosomiasis in non-endemic countries. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the LAMP technique on patients’ urine samples for the diagnosis of imported schistosomiasis in a non-endemic area in comparison to a commercial immunochromatographic test and microscopic examination of feces and urine. A prospective observational study was conducted in sub-Saharan migrants attending the Tropical Medicine Unit, Almería, Spain. For schistosomiasis diagnosis, serum samples were tested using an immunochromatographic test (Schistosoma ICT IgG-IgM). Stool and urine samples were examined by microcopy. Urine samples were evaluated by combining three LAMP assays for the specific detection of Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium, and for the genus Schistosoma. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy, a latent class analysis (LCA) was performed. In total, 115 patients were included (92.2% male; median age: 28.3 years). Of these, 21 patients (18.3%) were diagnosed with schistosomiasis confirmed by microscopy, with S. haematobium being the most frequent species identified (18/115; 15.7%). The Schistosoma ICT IgG-IgM test result was 100% positive and Schistosoma-LAMP was 61.9% positive, reaching as high as 72.2% for S. haematobium. The sensitivity and specificity estimated by LCA, respectively, were: 92% and 76% for Schistosoma ICT IgG-IgM, 68% and 44% for Schistosoma-LAMP, and 46% and 97% for microscopy. In conclusion, the Schistosoma-LAMP technique presented a higher sensitivity than microscopy for the diagnosis of imported urinary schistosomiasis, which could improve the diagnosis of active infection, both in referral centers and in centers with limited experience or scarce resources and infrastructure.
Mary Aigbiremo Oboh-Imafidon and Peter A. Zimmerman* Postdoctoral Research Fellow I, Malaria Population Biology, Disease Control and Elimination Theme, Medical Research Council, The Gambia Unit at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Serrekunda, Gambia; Professor of International Health, Genetics and Biology, The Center for Global Health & Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
Quercus species, also known as oak, represent an important genus of the Fagaceae family. It is widely distributed in temperate forests of the northern hemisphere and tropical climatic areas. Many of its members have been used in traditional medicine to treat and prevent various human disorders such as asthma, hemorrhoid, diarrhea, gastric ulcers, and wound healing. The multiple biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic, anticancer, gastroprotective, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities have been ascribed to the presence of bioactive compounds such as triterpenoids, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. This paper aimed to provide available information on the medicinal uses, phytochemicals, and pharmacology of species from Quercus. However, further investigation is needed to fully clarify the mode of action of its bioactive compounds and to evaluate in vivo chronic toxicity, before exploring their potential use as a supplement in functional foods and natural pharmaceutics.
The 5th Asia Dengue Summit, themed “Roll Back Dengue”, was held in Singapore from 13 to 15 June 2022. The summit was co-convened by Asia Dengue Voice and Action (ADVA), Global Dengue and Aedes transmitted Diseases Consortium (GDAC), Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Tropical Medicine and Public Health Network (SEAMEO TROPMED), and the Fondation Mérieux (FMx). Dengue experts from academia and research and representatives from the Ministries of Health, Regional and Global World Health Organization (WHO), and International Vaccine Institute (IVI) participated in the three-day summit. With more than 270 speakers and delegates from over 14 countries, 12 symposiums, and 3 full days, the 5th ADS highlighted the growing threat of dengue, shared innovations and strategies for successful dengue control, and emphasized the need for multi-sectoral collaboration to control dengue.
Luisa Roade, E. Sulleiro, Cristina Bocanegra
et al.
A consensus on the recommended screening algorithms for schistosomiasis in asymptomatic high-risk subjects in non-endemic areas is lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate the real-life performance of direct microscopy and ELISA serology for schistosomiasis screening in a high-risk population in a non-endemic setting. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in two out-patient Tropical Medicine units in Barcelona (Spain) from 2014 to 2017. Asymptomatic adults arriving from the Sub-Saharan region were included. Schistosomiasis screening was conducted according to clinical practice following a different strategy in each setting: (A) feces and urine direct examination plus S. mansoni serology if non-explained eosinophilia was present and (B) S. mansoni serology plus uroparasitological examination as the second step in case of a positive serology. Demographic, clinical and laboratory features were collected. Schistosomiasis cases, clinical management and a 24 month follow-up were recorded for each group. Four-hundred forty individuals were included. The patients were mainly from West African countries. Fifty schistosomiasis cases were detected (11.5% group A vs. 4 % group B, p = 0.733). When both microscopic and serological techniques were performed, discordant results were recorded in 18.4% (16/88). Schistosomiasis cases were younger (p < 0.001) and presented eosinophilia and elevated IgE (p < 0.001) more frequently. Schistosomiasis is a frequent diagnosis among high-risk populations. Serology achieves a similar performance to direct diagnosis for the screening of schistosomiasis in a high-risk population.
Graviola (Annona muricata) is a small deciduous tropical evergreen fruit tree, belonging to the Annonaceae family, and is widely grown and distributed in tropical and subtropical regions around the world. The aerial parts of graviola have several functions: the fruits have been widely used as food confectionaries, while several preparations, especially decoctions of the bark, fruits, leaves, pericarp, seeds, and roots, have been extensively used in traditional medicine to treat multiple ailments including cancers by local communities in tropical Africa and South America. The reported therapeutic benefits of graviola against various human tumors and disease agents in in vitro culture and preclinical animal model systems are typically tested for their ability to specifically target the disease, while exerting little or no effect on normal cell viability. Over 212 phytochemical ingredients have been reported in graviola extracts prepared from different plant parts. The specific bioactive constituents responsible for the major anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and other health benefits of graviola include different classes of annonaceous acetogenins (metabolites and products of the polyketide pathway), alkaloids, flavonoids, sterols, and others. This review summarizes the current understanding of the anticancer effects of A. muricata and its constituents on diverse cancer types and disease states, as well as efficacy and safety concerns. It also includes discussion of our current understanding of possible mechanisms of action, with the hope of further stimulating the development of improved and affordable therapies for a variety of ailments.
Senna alata is a medicinal herb of Leguminosae family. It is distributed in the tropical and humid regions. The plant is traditionally used in the treatment of typhoid, diabetes, malaria, asthma, ringworms, tinea infections, scabies, blotch, herpes, and eczema. The review is aimed at unveiling the ethnobotanical description and pharmacological activities of S. alata. Different parts of the plant are reported in folk medicine as therapeutic substances for remediation of diverse diseases and infections. The extracts and isolated compounds displayed pronounced pharmacological activities. Display of antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal, dermatophytic, anticancer, hepatoprotective, antilipogenic, anticonvulsant, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antimalarial, anthelmintic, and antiviral activities could be due to the array of secondary metabolites such as tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, anthraquinone, saponins, phenolics, cannabinoid alkaloids, 1,8-cineole, caryophyllene, limonene, α-selinene, β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, cinnamic acid, pyrazol-5-ol, methaqualone, isoquinoline, quinones, reducing sugars, steroids, and volatile oils present in different parts of the plant. The review divulges the ethnobotanical and pharmacological activities of the plant and also justifies the ethnomedical claims. The significant medicinal value of this plant necessitates a scientific adventure into the bioactive metabolites which constitute various extracts.
Christian Betancort-Plata, L. López-Delgado, N. Jaén-Sánchez
et al.
Background. The clinical and epidemiological data of the recent outbreak of monkeypox (MPX) differ from previous reports. One difference is the epidemiological profile; the disease mainly affects a subgroup of MSM (men who have sex with men) with high-risk sexual behaviors, frequently persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV). Methods. In this observational analysis, all patients with PCR (polymerase chain reaction)-confirmed MPX attending an Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Unit in Gran Canaria (Spain) between May and July 2022 were considered. Results. In total, 42 men were included; 88% were identified as MSM, with a median age of 40 years. Only 43% were born in Spain. All the patients had systemic symptoms and skin lesions. The distribution of lesions was more frequent in the genital/anal region, and the involvement of hands and feet was less common. Fever and lymphadenopathies were less frequent than in other series. Other unusual manifestations were proctitis, pharyngitis and penile–scrotal edema. Half of the patients had other associated infections (mainly STIs, sexually transmitted infections), and 60% of the monkeypox patients had PLHIV (People Living with HIV). When comparing the clinical characteristics between HIV-positive and -negative patients, we found three main differences: (i) a higher frequency of perioral lesions, (ii) a higher frequency of pharyngitis and (iii) a higher number of sexually transmitted infections in HIV-positive patients. Conclusions. The clinical findings in this outbreak of MPX had great variability in presentation. Several clinical differences were found in PLHIV-coinfected patients.
a School of Health Sciences, Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway b Division of Clinical Medicine, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, Republic of Korea c Korean Medicine Clinical Trial Center, Korean Medicine Hospital, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea d Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, National Research Center in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway
C. Franco-Paredes, Katherine Jankousky, Jonathan S. Schultz
et al.
1 Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado, United States of America, 2 Instituto Nacional de Salud, Hospital Infantil de México, Federico Gomez, México City, México, 3 Criminal Defense Attorney, Denver, Colorado, United States of America, 4 UCHealth, Family Medicine, Denver, Colorado, United States of America, 5 Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development, Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America
Sameh Mahmoud Abdel Monem, Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt, Elsaid Galal Elbadrawy
et al.
Generalized dysmotility of the gastrointestinal tract develops in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The ghrelin hormone appears to be critical in controlling gastrointestinal motility. We aimed to evaluate serum ghrelin levels in people with IBS and to demonstrate its role in IBS pathophysiology. This study included 32 individuals with IBS (16 with constipation and 16 with diarrhea) and 16 healthy individuals as controls. Blood specimens were collected from patients and controls following an overnight fast. Total ghrelin level was detected in plasma by commercially available ELISA Kit. There were significant differences in the serum levels of ghrelin between the control group and both types of IBS. The mean±SD of ghrelin level in the control group was 2.608±0.714 pg/ml, and that of both types of IBS was 5.782±2.450 pg/ml (P-value<0.001). There was a significant variation between the control and IBS-D groups (mean±SD: 7.838±1.687 pg/ml, p-value<0.001). Also, we indicated a considerable difference between the control and IBS-C groups (mean±SD: 3.726±0.740 pg/ml, P-value<0.001). In comparing the IBS-D group and IBS-C group, we found a highly considerable variation between the two groups (p-value<0.001). This means that serum ghrelin levels were significantly greater in IBS-D than in IBS-C and the control group. Our findings concluded that serum ghrelin level was higher among the IBS-D group than in the IBS-C and control groups. The ghrelin hormone may play a vital role in IBS pathophysiology.
Churnalisa Doran, Jelte Elsinga, Ante Fokkema
et al.
<h4>Background</h4> Little is known about the persistence and impact of non-rheumatic symptoms after acute chikungunya disease. We have studied the clinical presentation and long-term impact of rheumatic and non-rheumatic symptoms on health related quality of life (QoL) 2.5 years after disease onset. Additionally, the validity of the Curaçao Long-Term Chikungunya Sequelae (CLTCS) score in classifying disease severity over time was evaluated. <h4>Methodology/Principal findings</h4> This prospective cohort study followed 248 chikungunya patients. Symptoms and SF-36 QoL were evaluated during baseline and follow-up at 2.5 years using questionnaires. Chikungunya disease status was classified using the CLTCS-score. At 2.5 years after disease onset patients were classified as being recovered (43%), mildly (35%) or highly (22%) affected. In comparison to mildly affected, highly affected patients reported the highest prevalence of ongoing rheumatic and non-rheumatic/psychological symptoms, with increased prevalence of arthralgia in the lower extremities (p = .01) and fatigue (p = .049) over time, and higher pain intensity (p < .001). Compared to mildly affected, being highly affected was associated with weakness in the lower extremities (OR: 1.90; CI: 1.29–2.80, p = .001) and worsened physical and mental QoL impairment. <h4>Conclusions</h4> Patients are both physically and psychologically affected by rheumatic and non-rheumatic symptoms of long-term chikungunya disease. The CLTCS-score is an easy to use instrument for classifying long-term chikungunya disease severity and impact and can facilitate health care providers in identifying highly affected patients who are prone to develop severe QoL impairment. Highly affected patients are recommended to be treated in a multidisciplinary setting to improve physical and psychological functioning, and QoL. Author summary Chikungunya disease manifestation is characterized by a sudden onset of non-rheumatic flu-like symptoms and debilitating rheumatic symptoms in the acute phase. Little is known about the persistence of non-rheumatic symptoms after acute disease. In this prospective cohort study we investigated the clinical manifestations and persistence of baseline rheumatic and non-rheumatic/psychological symptoms and their impact on health related quality of life (QoL) 2.5 years after disease onset. Moreover, we investigated the performance of the classification instrument the Curaçao Long-Term Chikungunya Sequelae (CLTCS) score in classifying chikungunya disease severity over time. We found that 57% of the patients were still affected 2.5 years after disease onset. An increase of mainly recurrent rheumatic and non-rheumatic/psychological symptoms including fatigue, insomnia, sombreness, and loss of vitality were reported, with a significantly higher symptom recurrence and pain intensity reported by highly affected patients. In addition, QoL assessment indicates that the disease burden impaired the physiological well-being of these patients. We also showed that the CLTCS-score can be used to easily identify highly affected patients. This study demonstrates that disease severity increases non-rheumatic symptoms and subsequent physiological impairments and suggests a multidisciplinary treatment approach to treat the psychological effects of long-term chikungunya disease.
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine, Public aspects of medicine
Abstract Background Healthcare workers' (HCWs) compliance with infection prevention and control (IPC) measures during the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial to reducing the spread of infection to their colleagues, families, and community. This study assessed the risk perception and compliance with personal protective equipment (PPE) usage, hand hygiene, and specific IPC measures and explored the factors associated with compliance among nurses during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt. Methods A hospital-based cross-sectional survey was conducted at the Alexandria Main University Hospital (AMUH) in Alexandria city from May to August 2021, where 354 nurses were included with a response rate of 94.9%. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results The overall compliance with PPE usage, hand hygiene, and IPC measures was 81.9%. The mean risk perception score was 40.9 ± 3.3. More than 95% of nurses were aware of the high risk of COVID-19 infection at their workplace, the serious consequences of the disease, and the risk that can be minimized by using PPE, whereas a relatively low percentage of nurses believed that the risk of COVID-19 infection could be reduced by using a surgical mask (19.2%) or gloves (50.5%). Good compliance was independently predicted by risk perception (OR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.13, 1.39), and knowledge about PPE usage and hand hygiene (OR = 3.53; 95%CI = 2.40, 5.19). Facilitators of compliance with the PPE usage were attending suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases in their hospital ( $$\overline{x}$$ x ¯ = 9.82), comfort to use the PPE ( $$\overline{x}$$ x ¯ = 9.16), availability of PPE ( $$\overline{x}$$ x ¯ = 8.96), hospital policy ( $$\overline{x}$$ x ¯ = 8.74), and senior compliance ( $$\overline{x}$$ x ¯ = 6.5). Conclusions Nurses at AMUH reported high risk perceptions. The rate of compliance with PPE usage, hand hygiene, and IPC measures was 81.9%. The personal risk perception and knowledge about the PPE usage and hand hygiene are the keys to improving compliance in a healthcare facility.
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine, Public aspects of medicine
9London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, London, England, United Kingdom Antimicrobial resistant (AMR) organisms are increasing globally, threatening to render existing treatments ineffective against many infectious diseases.1,2 AMR strains of bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses prolong illness, increase case fatality, facilitate transmission, and increase treatment costs.3,4 In Africa where many health systems are weak, the likelihood of AMR increasing and the consequences of AMR infections are particularly high, and drug resistance has already been documented for HIV and the pathogens that cause malaria, tuberculosis, typhoid, cholera, meningitis, gonorrhoea, and dysentery.5 Patients in these countries have limited access to accurate diagnosis and adequate antimicrobial treatment, which can lead to sepsis and other life-threatening complications.6,7